Ice Can Be Green with Ice-O-Matic

[posted January 19, 2012]

Today, we received our new Ice-O-Matic catalogs. For most people, this is probably not very exciting. I admit though, that I have become a bit of an ice nerd since I started working at Ice Machines Plus, and new catalogs do excite me. As I was reading through and looking for new equipment, I happened across an interesting page on the back of the price list. Ice-O-Matic described one of their corporate programs and it was intriguing. You see, I've been to the Ice-O-Matic factory in Denver, Colorado, and I know some people there fairly well. One thing I've noticed is that many people at the Ice-O-Matic factory are environmentally conscious and "green minded". This may come as a surprise considering that they are in the refrigeration business, an industry with a notorious reputation for causing irreparable harm and damage to our environment. These days, that is not the case. In fact just the opposite is true.'

About ten years ago, new federal regulations were set in place that overhauled the refrigeration industry. Previously, the refrigerants used were highly efficient chemicals that were unfortunately poisonous and ozone-depleting. They created a great deal of trouble and problems when they leaked. The newer refrigerant was environmentally friendly; however, it was less efficient in the cooling process. This meant that the machines at the time had to work harder to keep and hold temperatures. Manufacturers had to retool their designs in order to compensate for the extra costs of operation.

Thankfully, Ice-O-Matic fully embraced this shift. As an eco-friendly, environmentally conscious company, they felt that this was a positive change for their industry and since then, they have gone as far as they can in order to make their machines the simplest, hardest working and most efficient to operate. Partnering with the ENERGY STAR program, Ice-O-Matic has produced many ice machines have been ENERGY STAR rated and therefore carry a significant amount of savings for the end user/operator on top of their already rock bottom prices.

Even this efficiency, though, was not enough for Ice-O-Matic. They felt that their factory itself was leaving a negative impact on the environment, and were not incredibly pleased with this fact. So Ice-O-Matic brainstormed and formulated a plan that would cancel out their carbon footprint through progressive thinking. For every Ice-O-Matic ice machine that is produced, Ice-O-Matic plants a tree. Yes, you read that correctly. It is simple enough, yet incredibly effective, nonetheless. What they call their "Green ReLeaf" Program (clever huh?) will eliminate the carbon footprint created by the entire factory in Denver, Colorado. The trees planted are in important areas around the world where reforestation of the forests is imperative for the survival of the world as we know it. Ultimately, plans are to plant 150,000 trees which will not only offset their own carbon footprint but also that of fifteen factories of similar type every year!

Now, you can rest assured that when you purchase an Ice-O-Matic ice machine you are a part of the solution and not a part of the problem. Your new ice machine will arrive in recycled packaging and a tree will be planted in its honor, creating fresh oxygen, reducing soil erosion and reestablishing lost habitats for all of the world's creatures.